In recent years, a variety of beverage container carriers have been developed to aid consumers. These carriers are often seen at stadiums and amusement parks when a single customer orders multiple drinks and must transport them to his/her companions. Another common use for these carriers is at the ever popular drive-through window of fast food restaurants. Beverage containers placed in a carrier are less likely to spill and soil the vehicle's interior. A typical carrier may often include a paperboard box with several receptacles for beverage containers.
A paperboard carrier for carrying beverage containers, such as disposable bottles, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,967,003. The carrier is foldable and is constructed from a single blank. The beverage container receptacles restrain the top portion of the bottles from lateral movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,323 discloses a paperboard carrier for drink cups. The carrier is made from a single blank. Cups placed in the carrier are supported from the bottom and restrained laterally at the top of the receptacles.
Another carrier for drink cups is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,906. The carrier is foldable and has multiple drink receptacles. Partition panels extend from the top of the carrier all the way to the bottom in each receptacle. The partition panels are formed of material from an upper panel of the carrier. This limits the size of the upper panel and also the size of the receptacle opening in the upper panel.
In the previously described carriers, the beverage containers placed in the carriers are only restrained from movement in a direction parallel to the center line of the carriers at the top of the receptacles. There is no means for restraining movement of the bottom portion of the beverage containers in this direction. Additionally, these carriers do not provide a pressure or flexure fit for the beverage container. This increases the likelihood of the entire carrier tipping over and releasing the contents of the beverage containers. The partition panel which the cups rest on may disturb a cup that is completely full causing a spill. Also, the entire bottom panels of these carriers are solid and the interior support of the carrier extends downward from the upper panels all the way to the bottom of the carriers.
There is a need in the art for a carrier for beverage containers, formed from a foldable blank, that can be quickly and efficiently erected and loaded. There is a further need for a carrier that restrains beverage containers from movement in a direction parallel to the longitudinal center line of the carrier, both at the top and bottom of the beverage containers. There is still a further need in the art for a carrier that provides a flexure fit for beverage containers placed in the carrier. There is still a further need in the art for a carrier that provides internal support extending upward from the bottom of the carrier, requiring less material for the bottom surface of the carrier.